Bobbi Kristina Brown ‘Is Not Brain Dead,’ Family Members Assert

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s prognosis is poor several media outlets have reported. But family members said today that she is not ‘brain dead.’ (Photo: Getty)

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s family members have issued a statement declaring that the daughter of the late Whitney Houston is not “brain dead,” to counter tabloid reports that she is “beyond hope” of surviving her near drowning.

Gossip site TMZ reported earlier today (Feb. 5) that doctors have told father Bobby Brown that “it’s time to withdraw life support.”

It said Brown, who would have ultimate say, is refusing to make “the painful choice,” and will wait until after the weekend before acting.

Other sites, such as Gossip Cop , which should know better, have parroted TMZ’s reporting without doing any independent checking on its own.

But the gossip site’s only “source” is an unidentified individual who is supposed to be close to the family. And, the family is saying exactly the opposite.

In the statement issued today (Feb. 5), the family said she is not “brain dead” and added that the Houston and Brown families are not fighting over what to do.

Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive, face down in a bathtub on Saturday (Jan. 31). Some reports say she was under water for at least five minutes.

She is currently resting in the intensive care unit of the Emory University Hospital. She is in a medically induced coma to help prevent brain swelling, often a result of near drowning. She is breathing with the aid of a ventilator, which is customary when individuals are in induced comas.

Doctors have made no statements regarding her treatment or condition. Most of the information has come from so-called sources.

On the plus side, some reports claim doctors have detected eye movement, which would be considered a positive sign. Bobbi Kristina also reportedly opened and closed her eyes. Other reports say she has suffered several seizures.

As IM reported earlier, the one thing she has going for her is her young age. At 21, her chances of recovering from a near drowning are improved. The brain has a capacity to heal itself that is related to age.

It would seem premature at best to remove her from life support, as long as other vital signs hold up. In brain dead patients, internal organs tend to shutdown the longer they remain on life support.

It’s possible she could remain in a coma for weeks before regaining consciousness. If so, she would likely require extensive rehabilitation.

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TheImproper Staff

Keith Girard is Editor and Publisher of TheImproper, New York City’s cutting edge arts, entertainment pop culture and lifestyle Web magazine. Before that, he was editor-in-chief of Billboard magazine and a reporter for the Washington Post among other media positions.